JRPG Talk | Ys: Lost City of Kefin

Given that my full article on Ys V: Kefin, Lost Kingdom of Sand could not fully explore all of its core ideas for practical reasons, I will be using this JRPG Talk series to expand on its thematic depth. Rather than focusing on narrative summary alone, this piece looks at Kefin as a structural idea within the Ys continuity, one that reflects not just a lost kingdom, but a self-sustaining system built on escalating layers of hidden cost. Despite its uneven execution due to development circumstances at the time, Ys V remains a meaningful entry in the series for those willing to extract its underlying thematic core. Among its most compelling elements is the Lost City of Kefin itself.

Starting Yx IX: Monstrum Nox

 

After finishing my journey through Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana, I immediately continued with its successor, Ys IX: Monstrum Nox. After spending several hours with the game, I have reached a point where I can begin forming some initial impressions.

Considering that Ys VIII elevated the series to a new level for Falcom, my expectations for Monstrum Nox were deliberately modest. So far, those expectations have largely been met. The game's overarching narrative feels noticeably weaker, and the transition from the vibrant tropical landscapes of Seiren Island to the gray prison city of Balduq inevitably feels like a downgrade in terms of atmosphere. Visually, the city's gothic aesthetic sometimes comes across as an unconvincing blend of Persona 5's urban style and Bloodborne's dark fantasy, without quite matching the identity of either.

That said, Falcom has earned its reputation as one of the JRPG industry's most dependable developers, so I remain optimistic that Monstrum Nox will have something meaningful to offer as the story unfolds. The game clearly shows signs of being developed under tighter production constraints than its predecessor, yet I suspect there is more beneath the surface for longtime Ys fans.

One aspect I continue to find interesting is how several of Monstrum Nox's gameplay ideas appear to have anticipated mechanics that later became prominent in Genshin Impact, particularly its emphasis on vertical exploration and character mobility. If a developer like Mihoyo found ideas worth building upon from this title, then Monstrum Nox likely succeeded in doing something right, even if it may not initially leave as strong an impression as Ys VIII.

Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana Playthrough Complete!

For almost the entire span of June, I spent a significant amount of time playing Ys VIII. As expected from a Ys title that has gained strong global mainstream recognition, this entry truly lives up to its reputation. It delivers what feels like a AAA experience for a long-running JRPG series, both in production value and narrative ambition. Without a doubt, it is easily one of the best JRPGs of the 2010s.

Lacrimosa of Dana truly sets a new pinnacle for the Ys series, establishing itself as one of the overall “best” entries to date. Falcom clearly went all in on this project, pushing the production value to a level they can probably only achieve once in a decade.

Ys V: Lost Kefin, Kingdom of Sand

 

The last classic Ys title I completed before resuming my journey into the series' modern iterations. Ys V: Lost Kefin is often regarded as the black sheep of Falcom's flagship franchise, and for good reason. Even in the PS2 remake, many of its flaws remain apparent in 2026. Poor execution and conflicting design ideas prevent Lost Kefin from fully living up to the standards associated with the Ys name.

Yet despite these shortcomings, I do not believe Ys V deserves to be dismissed outright. Those willing to look beyond its rough exterior will discover that the essence of Ys remains unmistakably present beneath its imperfections. While Lost Kefin falls short in execution, its underlying themes, worldbuilding, and narrative foundations reveal a game that still belongs within the greater legacy of the series. This blog post aims to explore that side of Ys V and show why it remains worthy of attention despite its reputation.

Final Fantasy Adventure

 

One of the older Squaresoft games I recently came across, Final Fantasy Adventure truly punches far above its weight for a Game Boy title. While the Game Boy Color is often praised for its impressive RPG library, especially with the rise of the Pokémon series, I never expected the original Game Boy to be capable of delivering such an engaging RPG experience. Final Fantasy Adventure proved otherwise. Simply put, I was genuinely impressed by the scale and atmosphere of the game, which reminded me of my first experience playing Lufia: The Legend Returns in the early 2000s.

Starting YS VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana

After taking an extended detour to wrap up my loose ends across earlier Ys titles, I’ve finally started Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana. Within the first ten hours alone, the game has already exceeded my expectations. Having played Ys: Memories of Celceta on PS Vita about a decade ago, which is the previous entry before Falcom made Ys VIII. Lacrimosa of Dana feels like a significant leap forward in almost every respect.

While Lacrimosa doesn’t fully align with my ideal “pure” Ys experience, leaning more heavily toward systems reminiscent of Monster Hunter and even elements of Trails, Ys VIII nonetheless delivers a production quality and narrative scope that feels distinctly AAA within the series. Falcom clearly pushed far beyond its usual weight class with this entry, and it stands as a culmination of the design direction established since Ys Seven. It’s easy to see why this game became a mainstream breakthrough and a favorite entry point for many newcomers to the series.

For my part, I’m most looking forward to exploring the macro-level worldbuilding and historical layers that Ys VIII had to offer into the broader Ys narrative. That long-form lore and continuity remains one of my main motivations for staying invested in Ys series.

JRPG Talk | Atelier Iris 2’s Eden: The Conceptual Idea of Paradise

This will be a rather unusual blog post for me, as I rarely discuss the thematic core of video game series unless they involve mecha. However, given my long-standing investment in the JRPG genre and my curiosity toward esoteric teachings, I find it worthwhile to examine a work where both interests intersect.

As one of Gust’s early JRPG iterations, Atelier Iris 2: The Azoth of Destiny possesses a thematic premise that stands out even today. While the game itself is relatively mediocre as a JRPG in terms of gameplay and structure, it succeeds surprisingly well in one particular area: its fantasy interpretation of the Garden of Eden through the lens of JRPG with unusually profound incorporation of alchemy as its core theme.

What Atelier Iris 2 does exceptionally well is its depiction of Eden as both paradise and forbidden domain, a portrayal that resonates strongly with real-world mythological and esoteric traditions.

Returning to Ys VI: Ark of Napishtim After Fifteen Years

 

 Back in 2011, I began my journey with the Ys series, with Ys VI: Ark of Napishtim being my first stop. Fast forward 15 years, and before setting forth to tackle Ys VIII–X after finishing Ys V, I decided to revisit Ys VI once again. Of all the available versions, I picked the PS2 release, which, as expected, delivered a rather mixed gameplay experience.

The first time I played Ys VI was actually on the PS2 before eventually finishing the game on PSP. Because of that, I chose to revisit Napishtim through the PS2 version, a decision I slightly regret. Among the various releases, the PS2 version has one of the more awkward localizations of Ys VI. I do not know if it was entirely Konami's fault, but the PS2 port added many unnecessary elements, with the 3D CGI scenes being the most notorious example. 

I suspect it had something to do with the localization mindset of the era, which often carried an anti-anime sentiment common in parts of the American entertainment industry during the 1980s and 1990s. As a result, the game was altered in an attempt to appeal to a broader mainstream audience without properly understanding the source material. In hindsight, this is rather tragic, as it was poor treatment for a relatively important milestone in Falcom's history.

Ys VI: Ark of Napishtim is more than just another iteration of Falcom's flagship franchise. Not only was it a proper revival of the Ys series after the commercial disappointment of Ys V, it was also the lynchpin that gave Falcom a second chance during its dark age. The game's success helped usher the company into its renaissance period and set the foundation for its rise to greater prominence. Had Ys VI failed back then, we might never have seen the Trails series evolve into the top-tier JRPG franchise that demonstrated what Falcom was truly capable of achieving.

Despite the PS2 version of Ys VI being something of a question mark in Falcom's history, and my disdain toward its unnecessary and shallow localization makeover, I was still able to relive the core Napishtim experience, which is ultimately what matters most. At the very least, Falcom would go on to work with better international publishers in later years. If I ever revisit this game again, I will probably stick with the PC or PSP versions. That said, I am fairly confident Falcom could produce a remaster of Ys VI in the near future given the series' legacy, perhaps around the game's 25th anniversary.

Ys V: Lost Kefin playthrough complete!

 

It has been roughly a decade since I last set out on a journey with the Ys series; Memories of Celceta was my last stop. For various reasons, the timing feels right to pick up the mantle of Adol Christin once again. With my fist stop being Ys V: Lost Kefin, Kingdom of Sand.

Back when I was deep into my Ys phase, I skipped Ys V entirely due to its reputation as the series' "dark horse." Having now played the Lost Kefin PS2 remaster, I can verify the reputation does live up to the infamy.

Without a doubt, Ys V stands as one of the weakest entries in the franchise, reflecting the "dark age" period of Falcom. The production values feel visibly hampered by the growing pains Falcom experienced during the transition from the 16-bit to 32-bit era. Even with the "remaster" treatment, this chapter struggles to hold its own. It is genuinely perplexing how the PS2 version feels so lackluster, especially considering it was released after The Ark of Napishtim and The Oath in Felghana, the titles that had already redefined the Ys experience for modern consoles.

To be blunt, I didn't find the gameplay or the music score of Ys V to be any particularly remarkable. Yet, despite these glaring weaknesses, Ys V remains an essential thread in Adol Christin’s tapestry. This adventure, which takes Adol to the Afroca continent in search of the utopian kingdom of alchemy, serves as a necessary building block for the series' worldbuilding, even if it is poorly fleshed out. I plan to write a more in-depth post in near future to dissect the "essential" narrative elements that can be salvaged from this entry.

If you are a completionist intent on playing Ys V, I recommend the PS2 version, largely thanks to the existence of a high-quality fan translation. Just go in with managed expectations: do not expect a standard that approaches any modern Ys title.

With Ys V now cleared, I have officially finished the main run of Ys I through Ys VII. I am finally ready to move on to Lacrimosa of Dana, a title I’ve anticipated for years, given all the praise it has received. However, before I dive into that, I think I will likely do a short revisit on Ys VI: The Ark of Napishtim.

Ys vs Kiseki: Alternative Saga

 

The PSP era saw a surprising number of crossover party brawlers and fighting games, and Falcom joined the trend with its own mash-up between its two flagship series; Ys and Trails in Ys vs. Kiseki: Alternative Saga.

Released around the peak of Ys Seven, the project also served as a push to spotlight the Kiseki (Trails) series, which remains one of Falcom’s strongest JRPG pillars. The result is a 3D arena brawler that brings together characters from Ys and Trails in the Sky, running on a system clearly derived from Ys Seven’s engine and combat feel.

The roster on the Ys side is somewhat underwhelming. Much of it leans heavily on Ys Seven, with only a few unexpected inclusions like Chester from Ys III. As a small consolation, the twin goddesses Feena and Reah appear as support characters, complete with some striking artwork that adds a bit of charm for longtime fans.

By contrast, the Trails in the Sky side fares much better. Fan-favorite characters are fully realized in 3D for the first time, which at the time was a major draw. The inclusion of Lloyd, protagonist of Zero no Kiseki, as a playable character is another highlight that broadens the crossover appeal beyond just Sky.

Despite being a Japan-only release, Ys vs. Kiseki: Alternative Saga stands as a strong piece of fanservice for Falcom enthusiasts. Its recent re-release on modern platforms, including the Nintendo Switch, also raises some interesting questions—particularly whether it brings meaningful improvements or remains largely a preservation of the original experience.

Atelier Iris Eternal Mana Complete

 

Took me a month, but I finally finished Atelier Iris: Eternal Mana, the first entry in the Atelier Iris trilogy! Ever since I wrapped up Atelier Iris 2: The Azoth of Destiny, I’ve been determined to complete the entire PS2 Atelier trilogy which means paying a visit to Eternal Mana.

As expected, Eternal Mana feels noticeably less polished compared to Azoth of Destiny, though the gap itself is not particularly massive. Still, coming from Atelier Iris 2, the missing QoL improvements become quite apparent in several areas. Overall, Eternal Mana is a very traditional old-school JRPG experience: high encounter rates, more demanding use of main gameplay mechanics, and slightly harsher balancing compared to its sequel.

Atelier Iris 2 - Azoth of Destiny Playthrough Complete!

Straight after finishing MS Saga: A New Dawn, I moved on to another PS2 title to finally settle an old “debt” of mine: Atelier Iris 2: The Azoth of Destiny, a JRPG by Gust Corporation. This was another one of those PS2 games I played back in high school, but I never managed to complete it despite being around 75% through at the time.

Now that I’ve actually finished it, I’d describe Atelier Iris 2 as a fairly decent JRPG, one that doesn’t quite have what it takes to stand among the top titles in the genre. Still, completing it carries a particular meaning for me. It marks the third old PS2 game I’ve cleared in succession, a small “hat trick” in working through my backlog.

More importantly, the timing of this playthrough felt oddly serendipitous. Something about encountering Atelier Iris 2 at this point allowed me to better recognize and absorb what truly matters at its core. Despite its shortcomings as a game, it presents a surprisingly deep thematic foundation that only really clicked for me this time around.

MS Saga Playthrough Complete!

Not exactly an easy endeavor, but after finally putting in the grind and picking up where I left off 14 years ago, I can proudly say that I’ve completed my journey with MS Saga: A New Dawn!

With a total playtime of around 50 hours, I’ve finally settled a personal debt that’s been lingering for nearly 20 years.

Without a doubt, MS Saga is truly a one-of-a-kind Gundam game. It had the potential to stand as a great JRPG if it had been completed in its intended form. However, in its released state, it feels like an old-school JRPG that compensates for cut content with brutal difficulty, something that may not sit well with modern audiences. Even as a devoted mecha fan, finishing it would have been a tall order if not for my personal commitment.

MS Saga Revisited

Right after completing my 4th run of SRW Alpha 3, I returned to another PS2 classic: MS Saga! Known in Japan as Gundam Odyssey, it remains one of the most unique Gundam games from the PS2’s golden era. Fortunately, I still have my save file from 14 years ago, letting me pick up exactly where I left off.

Legend of Heroes Gagharv Mobile Master Archive

 
 Took me more than a month to complete this project since Gagharv Mobile global server closure but I am putting my personal project into a wrap with this Master Archive post. I suppose the delay has to be blamed to my current hectic worklife which does not deliver the most optimal outcome for this game but at very least I am happy that another project from Realm of Darkness conclude properly.

This Master Archive contain links for all Gagharv Mobile hero roster archive for Global server separated by regions: El Phildin, Tirasweel and Weltluna region. This post will also contain my final roster list in Gagharv Mobile Global server. Gagharv Mobile might have rather awkward way for re-entry into Video game market, but the Korean Devs, Fowgames did try what they could do with their limitations since Falcom appear to give up upon Gagharv as well, at least at this moment.

Therefore as a reciprocation method, this small project is one thing that I could give to repay for the opportunity given to Gagharv Trilogy by Fowgames. 

• Gagharv Mobile Hero Archive - El Phildin
• Gagharv Mobile Hero Archive - Tirasweel
• Gagharv Mobile Hero Archive - Weltluna

LOH Gagharv Mobile Hero Archive - Weltluna

 
 It has been around 3 weeks since Gagharv Mobile global server has totally closed down. I had planned to finish this personal project of mine for this Korean Gacha Game of Classic JRPG series to be finished before the server closure but ultimately unable to do so due to hectic work life. Even so, I will still commit to compete this personal project of mine which should be completed within October including master archive and here I present Gagharv Mobile - Song of the Ocean hero archive.

Song of the Ocean might not be my personal favorite title of Gagharv Trilogy, but I will respect the merit of the series in its great contribution for playing important role in worldbuilding of the trilogy. Due to the focus on music as its theme, Weltluna rosters lack heavy hitter unit and notably defender class. In turn, Weltluna roster have plenty of Magical, Support and Ranged units which are some of the best in its category.

Interestingly during the end days of Gagharv Mobile on Global server, Weltluna end up to be the recipient of the last roster units with UR Leone and SSR Aida Alter. With Weltluna roster finished, all left is Tirasweel and a master archive to conclude this short homage project of unsung reboot for Falcom hidden JRPG gem.

Final Fantasy Tactics Advance

 
 I am not exactly a big Final Fantasy fan, but I do have played my share of titles that I have finished, largely owed to Gameboy Advance. Amongst the Final Fantasy games I played on GBA there is one single FF series that stood out the most for me and it was Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. 

Final Fantasy Tactics was a highly acclaimed JRPG in PSX and it was due to Yasumi Matsuno's briliant talent as Director. FFT stood out among JRPG peaks not only due to its gameplay but also immersiveness of Ivalice, which Matsuno had a personal hand in its creation whom he infused the richness of Gray morality storyline just like Tactics Ogre series. Returning on Final Fantasy Tactics Advance as producer, Matsuno lent his briliant talent once again in this game and made one of the best JRPG in GBA when it comes to gameplay.

LOH Gagharv Mobile Hero Archive - El Phildin

 
 The fate of Gagharv Mobile has been set and in 2 weeks, the Global server will shut down. As such I feel this is the right time to start the project of archiving the Gacha game version of Falcom Classic JRPG. I will archive the heroes featured in this series sorted by the original Gagharv Trilogy series following the release order of the storyline in Gagharv Mobile, starting with El Phildin! the region belong to Tears of Vermilion. 

To this day, Tears of Vermilion is still my personal favorite despite Song of the Ocean plays more important role in the overarching storyline. TOV storyline might be old school by JRPG standard but there is always a charm in seeing the sheer will of humanity to defy against the fate ordained by ancient gods and an unbreakable bond of friendship that transcends the depths of hell.

In this hero archive post, I will sort the Hero rarity starting from the highest, starting from main character then move onto UR and until R rarity hero. Considering El Phildin is the first part that Fowgames worked on Gagharv Mobile, bulk of the Hero characters belong to this region. Despite the inevitable tragic fate, I salute Fowgames Dev team tremendous effort for Gagharv mobile even if it is not reciprocated properly in financial term. 

But at very least Fowgames efforts until the end of Global server resonated with me and as such I present this homage! Apologies in advance if I am rather subjective with the list since I will make the entry of the character based on their debut in chronological timeline.

Legend of Heroes Gagharv Mobile Global Server EOS announcement

 Well, the inevitable fate for Gagharv Mobile has finally arrived. Yesterday Gagharv Mobile dev announced the End-of-Service notice for this game's global server after running for one year. Gagharv Mobile will officially close the Global server on September 24th 2025. After the closure, Gagharv Mobile will only focus on Korea and East Asia server and apparently Global server players have the option to migrate to Korea server with their existing account.

Shining Soul 2

 
 Gameboy Advance are quite well known for its superb RPG Library, but not many notice that this platform also got some great Action RPG. Introducing Shining Soul 2! the second iteration of Sega's Action RPG on GBA loosely based on Shining series. This is one of the few Isometric action RPG game that ever hailed into RPG and when it comes to gameplay, had to be the best one even compared to Square Enix Sword of Mana.